What metrics should law firms monitor in PPC campaigns?
What Metrics Should Law Firms Monitor in PPC Campaigns?
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is an essential digital marketing strategy for many law firms seeking to attract high-intent leads. However, success in PPC does not solely depend on setting up campaigns — it requires continuous analysis and optimisation of key performance indicators (KPIs). By monitoring the right metrics, law firms can ensure their marketing spend delivers meaningful results and drives profitable client acquisition.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The click-through rate measures the percentage of users who click on your ad after seeing it. A high CTR indicates that your ad copy is resonating with your target audience and that your messaging aligns with their search intent. For law firms, this can help determine whether keywords and headlines are compelling enough to draw in potential clients. A low CTR may signal the need to refine ad copy, use more targeted keywords or reassess your ad extensions.
Cost Per Click (CPC)
Cost per click refers to the amount you pay each time someone clicks on your ad. For law firms operating in competitive sectors such as personal injury or criminal defence, CPCs can be notably high. Monitoring this metric helps budget accurately and assess the cost-efficiency of your campaigns. Lowering your CPC without sacrificing lead quality should be a key objective, achieved through improved Quality Scores and tightly themed ad groups.
Conversion Rate
Ultimately, a law firm’s PPC campaign must convert visitors into enquiries or consultations. The conversion rate shows the percentage of users who completed a desired action on your website, such as filling out a contact form or calling your office. Tracking this metric ensures that traffic generated from ads leads to potential clients rather than just site visits. Poor conversion rates may reveal issues with your landing page design, user experience or call-to-action clarity.
Cost Per Conversion (CPC or CPA)
The cost per conversion, also known as cost per acquisition (CPA), reflects the average amount spent to secure a lead or client. This metric is vital for law firms to understand overall ROI. High-performing campaigns will have a low CPA while maintaining high-quality leads. It’s important to calculate your average client value to assess whether your CPA allows for a profitable marketing strategy.
Quality Score
Google assigns a Quality Score to each keyword based on expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience. This score directly impacts your ad placement and CPC. A high-quality score can reduce costs while improving ad visibility. For law firms, improving Quality Scores entails writing highly relevant ad copy, selecting precise keywords and ensuring landing pages are useful, mobile-friendly and aligned with ad messaging.
Impression Share
Impression Share shows the percentage of times your ad appears compared to the total number of opportunities it could have appeared based on your targeting and budget. Monitoring this can help identify whether competitors are outranking your law firm. A low impression share might suggest the need for budget adjustments or enhancements in ad quality to better compete in the auction space.
Search Terms Report
Reviewing the Search Terms Report allows law firms to see exactly which queries triggered their ads. This not only uncovers new keyword opportunities but also highlights irrelevant queries that might be wasting budget. Negative keywords should be continually refined based on this report to avoid attracting unqualified traffic.
Landing Page Performance
Even with strong ad metrics, a poorly performing landing page can derail your advertising success. Metrics such as bounce rate, average time on page and form completions reveal how well your landing page engages potential clients. Law firms should test different layouts, copy and enquiry forms to identify elements that increase user interaction and enquiry rates.
Call Tracking and Offline Conversions
Given that many law firm clients prefer to speak directly with a solicitor rather than filling out a form, tracking phone calls is crucial. Call tracking software can attribute phone conversions to specific PPC campaigns, keywords or ads. Additionally, offline conversion tracking helps connect initial online engagement with eventual case sign-ups, providing a more accurate view of true campaign performance.
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
Return on ad spend represents the revenue generated for every pound spent on advertising. While lead generation is important for legal marketing, securing profitable clients should be the end goal. ROAS enables law firms to assess which campaigns are truly contributing to the bottom line, rather than just generating clicks or leads.
Final Thoughts
PPC can deliver a strong return for law firms when executed and monitored effectively. Rather than focusing on one or two vanity metrics, it’s essential to take a comprehensive approach that considers user engagement, lead quality and cost-efficiency. By consistently tracking and acting on the right metrics, law firms can refine their strategy, outmanoeuvre competitors and ensure their digital ad spend drives sustainable growth.